When the War is Over
by Dr Azaria
Summary: REWRITTEN AGAIN: Rose disappeared in ‘Parting of the Ways’, the Doctor didn't regenerate, and Jack wasn’t left behind. A half human girl with no memory wakes up in a tomb in Ancient Egypt. Her name is Rose. Curious? Read on..
1. Prologue

**Prologue - dedicated to LilCosette. **

**(I'm sort of sorry to say that this is the third regeneration of this story, but not actually sorry because it _was_ broken and needed fixing. No changes should be immediately obvious but I promise it's important later!)**

Ghosts of the night mist, set me free.

Forgive, until the past is called

Wisdom, and history can be

told in some last redeeming world

* * *

**The Present

* * *

**

This is just getting weird.

There are so many people here. So why do I keep seeing _him_? It's the same man, walking past right now. Same eyes. Beautiful eyes. No, don't look at them, might be hypnotic for all I know. But it's the same face. I keep seeing him today. Not "cute" - and definitely not Bri's kind of handsome.

Briohney - she gives her opinion on the nearest guy without you even having to ask – reckons he's too "serious mysterious". She likes to use pairs of like rhyming words to categorise men. Mind you, mostly they end up not actually rhyming and sounding really lame like 'hot rod' or something, so she was actually quite happy with that one. Serious mysterious sums him up perfectly. Kind of. Ish.

I mean, he's not too serious, I don't think. Like he smiles at me when I look at him, like just now. But when he looks at me.. it's weird y'know? Kind of sad-eyed while smiling. And it's a friendly 'hello' smile, not hitting on me like Lord Tony of the Kitchen Sink. Tony reckons he's got it all. His surfie-blond hair comes from chemicals I reckon, but he's got a point. Kitchen workers get to sneak extra food. Wish he'd stop trying to put his hand up my shirt.

Where was I? Oh right.

The one with the blue eyes. Stop it with the eyes. What else? His nose is a bit big, and his ears stick out like extra limbs. His hair is cut so short - not popular here - but then he doesn't look like he'd care one little bit. He wears a jacket, which is even weirder. Leather is way too rare but it looks so like it, even if it looks worn and a bit big for him. Like a bloody scarecrow. It's like he wasn't meant to be here.

Who is he?

* * *

'Mornin'. Lovely day.' He said. His expression was friendly enough. 

'Hello. How's things?'

'Can't complain. What about you?'

'Not bad, not bad. Sorry, I didn't catch your name.'

'Maybe because I haven't told it to you yet.'

She couldn't resist laughing. 'Alright. What's your name then sweetie? I'm Tassy by the way.'

'I'm the Doctor.'

'You work in Medical? Interesting.' That explained the hair. 'What's your name?'

'The Doctor. That's it.'

'You're kidding, right? Not Dave the Doctor? Or Bob the Builder or something?'

'That's what I'm called. The Doctor. Really.' He seemed serious.

'Okay.. hello, The Doctor! How are you, The Doctor?'

He grinned. Forget your clichéd 1000-watt smile, it was like a second bloody sun in the sky. She couldn't help smiling stupidly back. Bri was probably wondering why she'd stopped for a pointless chat, thus risking being late for work. Especially just to talk to Mr "Serious Mysterious".

'Just Doctor then.' He said.

'Fine. Hello, Doctor then.' He graced her with a slight chuckle. She cringed inwardly at her pathetic joke. Then decided to change the subject. Quickly.

'So, how come I keep seeing you around today? It's like permanent déjà vu - or whatever it's called. Bloody archaic words..'

Despite her efforts at light-heartedness, there was awkward silence.

'You know, you remind me of someone I know.' He said, after a moment.

'And is that good or bad?'

'Depends. She's gone now.'

'Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. Uh, when was this?'

'Not long-'

'I'm so sorry…'

On impulse, she gave him a quick hug. It felt only natural to do so. He stiffened in surprise before returning it briefly. He still looked sad. Ah well, she had better be off before she made a bigger fool of herself.

'Thanks, but she's, uh, not actually dead or anything. Just wandered off.' He said awkwardly.

'Oh..' Her face betrayed her and went red. Talk about famous last words. 'Erm..'

'And you'll be late in a sec. Off you go then. Thanks for the hug. See you 'round!' He grinned and turned away.

'Uh, yeah.. good luck finding her then!' She called out.

'I'm workin' on it!'

* * *

**Nine (relative) years earlier…

* * *

**

Rose didn't know what had woken her up. Her new life started in absolute, silent darkness. It was the first thing she recognised. The only reason she became aware of her own physical self was because her muscles ached slightly, as if they were a bit stiff. Her first emotion was curiosity. Why was it so dark here? Where was here? She tried to move, but felt a physical barrier inches away.

The second thing she recognised was a coffin. That being the one she was _inside_.

Her second emotion was confusion. She tried to think of why a living person would be put one of those. The only answer seemed to be 'because the occupant is dead, or will be'.

Her third emotion was fear.

* * *

**The title is named after a song by John Farnham – which I regret somewhat but tis too late to change the name now or I'll confuse all my (cough) adoring fans (cough cough).**

**Much as I like to pretend I don't care, I do. Please review! I have a policy of checking out and reviewing at least one fanfic written by someone who has reviewed mine. Incentive anyone?**

**Oh by the way, the poem thing is by Gwen Harwood. Expect one of those at the beginning of each chapter. And thanks to _BrilliantCrescentStar_ for her appreciation of the relevance of the song titles. Except I decided putting in bits of verse/lyrics would be more obvious and specific. Meh.**

**And Doctor Who is not mine or Chris would definitely have been bribed/hypnotised/seduced into signing a contract in blood stating that he would never ever consider leaving before at least 5 years as the Ninth Doctor. But I bet you all now wish I did!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter I – Dedicated to Laseri **

For the first time since your death

I see you alive in a dream

in your body's early beauty,

your hair angel yellow, your lips

set firm in the fullness of youth.

* * *

'So are we done here yet?' Jack asked the figure nearby, scanning the hieroglyphs on the wall. 

'You've already asked that.' He didn't look up.

'Yeah but was a long time ago.'

'That was two minutes ago, Captain. Now kindly shut it.'

'C'mon. It's probably just some space tourist losing their camera or something.' He shifted uncomfortably from his position leaning against another wall. 'I don't know about you, Doctor, but archaeology in the middle of a desert isn't exactly my idea of time well spent.' He chuckled as something occurred to him. 'On the other hand, back at that marketplace there were some pretty charming..'

The Doctor turned to look at Jack in mock exasperation as he trailed off suggestively.

'Having a time machine isn't just about having fun. You have to realise the responsibility that comes with it. If some space tourist, as you say, has left something behind, people could get hurt.'

'But it's in a _tomb! _Who's gonna go finding it?'

'Grave robbers!'

'Serves them right.'

'Or archaeologists! In a few thousand years, give or take. Besides, it's kinda big for a camera.' He turned back.

'So, maybe the alien who dropped it was pretty big too. I still don't see-'

'Alright, you can go! Run off to the marketplace, and try not to repopulate too much this time.'

'Oh come on, that was a tiny remote village in Gaul! Anyway, it wasn't all the village girls. Some of them were married.'

'Didn't stop you trying. Off you go then.'

'Sure thing. Just call me when you're done okay? And don't hurry on my account.' He added smugly.

The Doctor just shook his head and sighed. Maybe he should be grateful that Jack had at least stopped trying _same-sex_ seductions in Ancient Earth after nearly being executed in Jerusalem. Not that it would stop him once they left Earth, but he'd had to realise that there were cultures in Earth's history that were against that sort of thing.

Meanwhile, the hieroglyphs were doing nothing for him. Small temple dedicated to Nepythys – Osiris' sister. He didn't expect an alien guestbook or anything, but a reference to a hidden chamber or sacred artefact would be nice. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and traced it over the smooth stone.

Sure enough, nothing. Just rock.

He was sure there was some secret chamber beneath the temple, but it didn't have an entrance. That meant something had been sealed in. Or teleportation. He stuck the screwdriver into a largish crack at the base of the wall. As far down as his hand could go. Blimey, for an Egyption temple this one was very run-down. Probably being in a remote village and all.

Gotcha. Teleportation device. Right beneath him. All he had to do was activate the teleport from here.

A shaft of energy enveloped him.

* * *

It was awful dark here. There was some sort of control panel next to the compartment-thing he was standing in. It was only a small room, done up like a real Egyptian tomb. But something wasn't right. Not the walls, even if they were metal. There were footprints in the thick dust covering the floor. The dust must have crept in through the cracks above him for over a century, maybe more. But it meant someone had been here not long ago. No matter, he'd bring them back for a chat. He ran his sonic device over the dim screen of the panel, and reversed the most recent outgoing teleport.

* * *

One moment she'd been walking in an underground carpark, the next she found herself in a place she'd thought she'd forgotten. The tomb that she'd thought was just a coma dream. In her sarcophagus that wasn't a sarcophagus. It _was_ real. Someone had taken her back. Aliens. And it was still so bloody dark in here. 

She had to get out.

Rose leaned back and kicked as hard as she could on the doorway. The second time, it swung open, and she landed in a heap. She rolled over on the spot and looked up, covered in dust, to see a tall man in a jacket looking at her in surprise.

'Did you just do that?' She asked, her initial panic replaced by anger as she got up and dusted herself off. 'Were you screwing with the teleport?'

'Yeah, who are y-'

'What the _hell_ did you do that for!'

'Look, I-'

Suddenly she saw the metal-plated wall behind him buckled and collapsed inwards. He turned immediately to look. Far more sensibly, Rose snatched at his arm and pulled him out of the way, retreating closer to the stasis cell. But the space left was halved in an instant as they staggered back. The rest of the walls were leaning inwards. The room – no, the whole temple - was going to cave in at any moment.

Their argument became academic.

'In the box!' She ordered, seeing he was nearest.

Her fingers quickly touched a sequence of symbols on the interface. The Doctor understood and pressed himself flat against the back of the stasis cell. Finished, Rose joined him and was crushed against his chest, her face to the side of his, an inch away. The cell was never designed to fit two. The door managed to shut itself. Barely. There was a whirring sound, and the stasis cell was crushed under several tonnes of rock, sand, and a relatively small temple dedicated to Nepythys.

* * *

**Yay! I'd love to set a record! Review review review!**

**(Several coffee-free hours later)**

**Again, I'm sorry about the rewrite, but let me put it this way - would you rather have to go through the first twelve chapters with minor changes throughout and then eventually all the rest? Or would you prefer it to have remained unfinished while I failed to sort out upcoming plot problems, lost the battle with logic, and gave up? And bearing in mind that chapter 12 was only 1/5 to 1/4 of the way through the whole plot!**

**Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! I'm v glad to hear my supposed fanbase has been increased. The dedications up to chapter 12 shalt remain as they were as would otherwise be unfair. **

**The poem is Gwen Harwood again, but there shalt also be many others including U2 and, oddly enough, the bible. I say odd because I'm atheist and have been told I'm not allowed to read the bible cause I don't beleive in it. But I don't believe in other books I think of as fiction so wtf? (Except maybe Lord of the Rings, lol)**

**My favourite number today is 95. I hope this number changes in the near future with the posting of this next chapter. )**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two – Dedicated to Becsi Lexy**

Thank you  
Don't mention it  
I'm pleased to meet you  
Don't think I'm very good at this  
But let me show you

* * *

'Did we make it?' She paused. 'I can't see.'

'Try opening your eyes then.' He groaned.

'Try getting off me then.'

He obligingly rolled over in the sand and she sat up blinking. They were both sprawled on a sand dune, just outside the village. It was late sunset, and freezing cold already. Soon the sand would lose the little absorbed heat it still had, and resemble snow.

But they were alive.

The Doctor stood up and held out a hand. She took it, and was yanked to her feet. She shook her head to clear it of sudden dizziness from getting up too quickly, and shivered. The Doctor looked around and noted the lack of temple. Oops. He then spotted a tall rectangular object not fifty metres away.

'C'mon. We'd best be inside before you freeze to death.' He walked towards it. She sighed, and made to follow before noticing the obvious.

'Uh, there's a village that way.' She pointed out.

'My ship is closer, and less likely to be annoyed at its temple having just collapsed.'

'Right..'

After a while, she saw it properly. 'It's a blue box.'

'Yep. Looks like a 1950's Police Box.'

'Looks a bit small for the both of us.'

'It's bigger on the inside.'

'I'm not even gonna bother asking how the hell that works.'

'Good idea. Ah, here we go!' He pulled out a key from his rather sandy jacket and unlocked the door. He held it open for her, like a doorman in a hotel.

'After you.' He said cheerfully. Rose hesitated, suspicious. 'C'mon. Ladies first. Don't stand there all day like a witless human.'

Not bothered to be insulted, she tentatively went in, and stared. This was _so_ weird.

There was a large, raised circular platform, made of metal grill and complete with stairs and a railing on the other side. In the centre of that there was a console glowing bluish-green and covered in odd metal instruments, including a flat computer screen. It was surrounding a transparent shaft filled with the light. There was a sort-of couch behind this.

She stepped up beside it and looked around curiously. Some of the railings had pieces of foam wrapped around them. And there were long wires hanging off some of the large curvy supports. She saw an opening in the far wall, leading off somewhere, like a passage.

_How big was this ship?_

The Doctor closed the door behind him, and leaned against it, arms folded. He enjoyed watching the awed expression on her face as she took everything in. She turned to look at him, speechless. He walked over to her and patted the console.

'Meet the TARDIS. That stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space.'

'A pleasure.' She said quietly, then laughed as one who is too stunned think of anything else to do. Or one who is drunk.

'And who says blue, green, orange, and black don't go?' She added.

'Impressed?'

'Go figure.' She looked at him. 'Not that you have to be so smug about it.'

'I'm the Doctor, by the way.'

'Doctor of what?'

'No, that's my name. The Doctor.'

'Okay then. Sure. Anything seems possible now dunnit?' She laughed again, this time not so high-pitched. 'My name's Rose.'

'And what were you doing underneath that temple, Rose?'

'Uh, you put me there last I checked.'

'No. What I did was just reverse a previous teleportation. So you must've, at some stage, left it. And judging by your clothes, you went to late 20th or early 21st Century Earth.'

'Must've. I don't actually remember.'

'And why should I believe that?'

'Seriously. My life, strangely enough, began in that box. Can't remember anything before that about myself. But I teleported out. The next thing I know, I'm in hospital, can't speak, and had apparently been hit by a car. I thought it was a dream from when I was in a coma.' She folded her arms. 'How about you, Doctor? What were you doing there?'

'We detected a signal. Of alien technology doing something under that temple.' He said absently, thinking aloud. 'Stasis cell.. if the stasis cell malfunctioned it might have wiped your memory.'

She shrugged. 'Makes sense. What do you mean "_we_ detected a signal"? Whose with you?'

'A friend called Jack Harkness. He's probably enjoying himself in the village at the moment and I don't want to interrupt, or get involved. At all. So I'll leave him where he is for the moment.' The Doctor turned back to her, with an earnestly puzzled expression – like a child who's got a new toy but doesn't know how to work it just yet. 'What I don't get is how there was a signal if you were already long gone.'

'Maybe another malfunction?'

'Or another alien coming for a look, like we did.'

'You're an _alien_?'

'Last I checked, yeah.'

'Oh. What kind?'

'Only the best kind.' He grinned.

'Uh-huh.' She laughed. 'And, uh.. whatsisname-Jack?'

'Nope. 51st Century human.'

'How can he be? This is like something-thousand BC!'

'And your stasis cell sent you to the 20th Century.'

She stared blankly at him. He gave her a look.

'_Time travel._ Like the TARDIS travels in both time and space.'

'Oh right. Of course.' She shook her head. 'Sorry, it's just-'

'You're having a bad day?'

'Actually it's not so bad. Just unbelievably weird. So you can take me home then?'

'Maybe.' He suddenly became cheerful again as something occurred to him.

'Don't know about you but I'm _starving_. Fancy getting something to eat?' He said, turning to the console.

She blinked. 'But, I've only just met you.'

'Well I'm not gonna force feed you or anything. Just thought you might be hungry too.'

'Yeah, I spose.'

'What does that mean?'

'Yes. I'm just not really into food. Tastes no better than paper most of the time.'

He turned from inputting coordinates to look at her.

'What do you eat at home? White bread? Lots of stuff in tins and plastic? Microwave meals?'

'Uh, yeah. Pretty much.' She admitted.

'Well don't worry. I'll take you someplace with _real_ food.' He turned back to fiddling with the controls.

'What about your friend Jack?'

'Like I said, he's _busy_.'

She shrugged.

'Don't worry,' he added. 'We can come back a few seconds from now and he won't have even noticed we left.'

The Doctor did something and suddenly there was a noise that sounded like mechanical grating and like a siren, as the central shaft slid up and down. The whole room pitched but he caught hold of her hand before she fell. After a short while it stopped.

The Doctor, still holding her hand, calmly led her to the door, and opened it.

She couldn't believe what she saw. He met her surprised look with a manic grin.

'Welcome to Beijing, China. It's the 3rd of June, 1988.'

* * *

**(sigh) I'm now thinking two weeks is v optimistic now. I went and copy/pasted all the chapters from the website itself (so as to get The Latest Version of it to work with) and put them in a word doc so I could edit and post them quicker. **

**Then I tried to copy it, along with several other files, from my iPod to a school computer. And it disappeared. Never to return. Go figure.**

**(Stupid Windows/Microsoft/Bill Gates..)**

**Anyhow, this means the chapters I'm working with (seeing as the internet chapters were of course deleted) are older drafts. Maybe that's good 'cause then it will be more like a rewrite without actually having to start from scratch. But is bad because it's taking too _long_, I have so many assignments that ought to be higher on the priority list thing, and I will need to send it to a beta editor before I can trust it to be posted.**

**Is Eeveekitty45 up for it? Or, is there anyone with an objective mind who has a LOT of time on their hands? Beta editors get multiple dedications/mentions and, erm, hugs!**

**Btw, I've also thus lost the original list of dedications for the chapters. Will have to just start again. Sorry. Not my fault.**

**Thanks so much for the 103 reviews! Nobody I know believes me when I say the count is now in the triple figures! Methinks unbelievers should be made to read it hey?**


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